Robinson shines for No. 24 Michigan in 88-68 win over Elon
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) When Duncan Robinson transferred to Michigan from Division III Williams, he faced a challenging adjustment to a different level of basketball.
One thing is clear: He can make open shots.
In fact, Robinson made every shot he took Monday night, scoring 19 points to lead the 24th-ranked Wolverines to an 88-68 victory over Elon. Robinson hit all six of his field goal attempts - including five from 3-point range - and two free throws.
''I'm getting more and more comfortable,'' Robinson said. ''I feel pretty comfortable on that left side, but it's a process. ... I like the left wing, off the foul line.''
Most of Robinson's 3-pointers Monday came from farther down toward the corner - on both sides - but he showed why the Wolverines felt he could help them after he shot 45 percent from long distance in his one season at Williams.
Derrick Walton added 24 points, seven assists and six rebounds for Michigan, and Zak Irvin played his first game since having back surgery in the offseason.
Michigan (2-0) overcame a somewhat sluggish first half. The Wolverines led 43-33 at halftime, then scored the first 10 points of the second.
Dainan Swoope led Elon (1-1) with 15 points.
The game was part of the Battle 4 Atlantis event. Michigan will play in the main tournament in the Bahamas next week, beginning with a game against Connecticut. Elon will host its own part of the event next week, with Mount St. Mary's, Furman and Texas A&M Corpus-Christi in town.
The Phoenix led Michigan 15-12 in the first half before the Wolverines ran off six straight points, including a dunk by Robinson after Walton's pass split two Elon players in transition. Robinson's first two 3-pointers turned a one-point deficit into a 24-19 lead.
''That's one guy that every time I see him shoot the ball, I think it's going in,'' Irvin said.
Michigan broke the game open early in the second half. A 3-pointer by Aubrey Dawkins made it 53-33.
Irvin, who missed Michigan's opener against Northern Michigan, checked in with 11:42 left in the first half. He went scoreless in 15 minutes, missing all five shot attempts. He said he felt plenty of nerves.
''I felt like it was my first college game all over again,'' Irvin said. ''Once I got that first shot up, I felt pretty good.''
Spike Albrecht is another key player for the Wolverines who has been trying to get back to full strength recently. Albrecht, who had offseason hip surgery, spent some time riding the exercise bike near the bench during the game. He was scoreless in 10 minutes.
PAYING THE PRICE
Michigan freshman Moe Wagner drew a charge with 6:39 remaining, then left the game with blood streaming down the left side of his head. Wagner later returned and finished with two rebounds in 7 minutes.
WHISTLES
There were 40 fouls in the game, but nobody fouled out and only two players - Swoope and Michigan's D.J. Wilson - finished with four. Swoope fouled out of Elon's season-opening win over Charlotte in 23 minutes.
TIP-INS
Elon: The Phoenix have never beaten a ranked team since joining Division I. ... Elon was picked to finish last in the CAA in the preseason poll.
Michigan: Walton nearly matched Robinson's perfect shooting, going 8 of 10 from the field and 6 of 7 from 3-point range. ... The Wolverines shot 59 percent in the second half and 52 percent for the game.
UP NEXT
Elon hosts Belmont Abbey on Wednesday night.
Michigan hosts Xavier on Friday night.
